KAKINADA: Yield of paddy in the eastern delta has fallen compared to last year due to floods and rains. Farmers are on an average getting 27 to 28 bags per acre against 31 to 33 bags during last year’s Kharif season. Overall, paddy yield is expected to be 11.40 lakh tonnes this year against 13.09 lakh tonnes last year. In addition, farmers are worried about paddy getting discoloured.
Another reason for decrease in yield is farmers of central delta and Yeleru canal ayacut transplanting nurseries only twice. When transplanting started for the third time, weather conditions deteriorated and did not favour the crop.
Agriculture Department officials said paddy had been cultivated over 2,19,214 hectares in East Godavari as against 2,20,037 hectares last year. They observe that though rains and floods damaged the crop in eastern delta, farmers could still get a yielding of 27–28 bags per acre. However, the central delta got badly hit by rains and floods. Under the ayacuts of Yeleru and Pampa reservoirs, paddy fields laid remained underwater for more than 10–15 and were thus completely damaged.
N. Venkateswara Rao of Karapa mandal said weather had had hit them badly dashing their hopes of a good crop this year. He insisted that the government should come to the aid of farmers at this stage.
Agriculture joint director K.V.S. Prasad said of 3,500 cuttings, over 2,400 have been taken. The crop yield is 27–28 bags per acre.
But they cannot make the final projections without assessing the remaining cuttings. However, he did concede that the yield will be lesser compared to last year. He further pointed out that only 25 percent of the harvest has been completed so far in East Godavari district.
Agriculture minister Kurasala Kannababu said government will help farmers by providing input subsidy. Efforts are also on to provide zero percent interest loans to farmers. He said the state is seeking help from the central government over the issue of discoloured paddy.
